Smother

Cast: Diane Keaton, Liv Tyler, Dax Shepard, Mike White, Don Lake, Sarah Lancaster; Director: Vince Di Meglio; Producers: Johnson Chan, Bill Johnson, Tim Rasmussen, Jay Roach; Screenwriters: Tim Rasmussen, Vince Di Meglio; Music: Manish Raval, Tom Wolfe; Editor: Kelly Matsumoto; Genre: Comedy; Cinematography: Julio Macat; Distributor: Inferno Distributor; Location: Beverly Hills, California, USA; Running Time: 120 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: For mature viewers 18 and above

This particular day starts badly for Noah Cooper (Dax Shepard). He gets fired from his work as a sports therapist. He calls up his school-teacher wife Clare (Liv Tyler), informs her about it and observes that she should hold on to her job- one of them must be working- and heads for home. When he arrives, he finds a houseguest, Myron Stubbs (Mike White) cousin of Clare, a movie scriptwriter who has been invited to stay, as his parents have told him to leave their house. Other things begin to deteriorate his day further. Suddenly, his domineering mother Marilyn (Diane Keaton) shows up at his door, with her five pet dogs. She has left Gene, her husband (Ken Howard), his dad, and looking for a place to stay. Noah is all for helping her find a place, but Clare insists on accommodating her in the house, that mom stays with them. Noah finds himself facing not only what are before him, but also the necessity of getting a job; and especially, to heed the eagerness and insistence of Clare that it is a high time that they work on having a baby. Could he manage: to find that job, have a child with Clare, and cope with a mother “who knows better, and should be listened to and heeded?”

The main characters in the story, that of Noah, Marilyn and Clare provide a presentation of what could happen in families around the world. There are mothers who think they are “always right”, and “themselves” and would not accept a “not true!” in return. Though not as adept, Shepard and Tyler managed as Noah and Clare to provide what was needed for their roles. The story provides a plot that brought the various scenes, episodes including the sidelight together to portray a complete story.

“Smother” is classified as a comedy because it is meant to provide an easy-to watch and laugh at silly or not right family situations, meant for a wide range of viewers. But because of how the story is presented- it appears that the comic situations, including the serious occasions, appear to be meant for the more mature audience than younger viewers. CINEMA, though, is rating this film for 18 years old and above for certain reasons. After 30 years, or so, of staying married, Noah’s father and mother abruptly split up. No closure is shown; hopefully-in real life- such a story would find a positive resolution. A second scene, in a carpet bazaar, where Noah gets employed: for laughs, the bazaar boss goes quietly close behind the back of an elderly lady shopper and performs lascivious acts on her while she is bending down to look at some merchandise. There are some scenes of nudity and some dialogue referring to sexual matters made in anger or fun. Noah verbally worries about his mother’s health, not that she would live longer but his fear was that she would live longer, after the kind of mother she had been to him all his almost 30 years of life. But he discovers that his mom really loves him: “he is the best thing in her life”. Discovery and realization comes at the end, for Noah and Clare, and Noah and Marilyn.

The Gravedancers

Cast: Marcus Thomas, Clare Kramar, Dominic Purcell, Josie Maran; Director: Mike Mendez; Producers: Al Corley, Lawrence Elmer Fuhrmann Jr., Bill McCutchen, Eugene Musso, Bart Rosenblatt; Screenwriters: Brad Keene, Chris Skinner; Music: Joseph Bishara; Editor: Mike Mendez; Genre: Drama/Horror/Thriller; Cinematography: David A. Armstrong; Distributor: After Dark Films; Location: North Carolina, USA; Running Time: 95 min;

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: For mature viewers 18 and above

Harris (Dominic Purcell), one of the three long time friends with Sid (Marcus Thomas) and Kira (Josie Maran), misses the funeral of their friend Devin who died in a car accident. Harris thinks that they should pay their last respect to Devin together in front of the grave in the cemetery, an idea which Sid and Kira do not initially agree with, but they eventually do. The solemn purpose to pay respect turns out to be a singing and dancing spree with loud music after reading a poem they see at the grave. Unfortunately, the poem read by Harris is like a magical spell that awakens dead spirits especially those in the ground where they danced. Since then all of them including Sid’s wife Allison (Clare Kramar) experience strange eerie occurrences in their respective places. With the help of a paranormal investigator they realize that they are being haunted by the angry spirits they bothered by desecrating their graves with their dancing spree at the cemetery. How will they get over these harrowing experiences?

As a horror thriller film, The Gravedancers successfully delivers and keeps the interest of the viewers from beginning to end of the film. It has a very good plot that was treated with careful special effects, musical scoring and sounds. The actors gave their distinct justification of the characters they portrayed in the film: that of tactless Harris, focused Sid, disturbed Kira, and concerned and frightened Allison, which is also to the credit of the director. It is not the usual screaming horror film but one that gets established as the film progressed to the end. Overall, the film has very good technical qualities.

The film conveys strong messages to respect the dead not necessarily in the context of religious belief, rather on the paranormal dimension. It underscores how irresponsible actions desecrating graves can make the person’s life miserable and even brings death. It aggravates when selfish motives like that of the paranormal team member cheated in the operation got in the way, but at least she regretted doing so when she realized the worst results of her cheating. In a sidelight, the film shows valuing relationships of friendship and marriage. It will be noticed that in the entire run of the film there was no reference to the Church’s intervention; but rather solely on human ability and paranormal science. In reality, when things go beyond human understanding, people seek enlightenment and draw strength from Divine providence to fight evil forces.

Loving You

Cast: John Prats, Polo Ravales, Ehra Madrigal, Kris Bernal, Aljur Abrenica, Jean Garcia, JC de Vera, Yasmien Kurdi; Director: Don Cuaresma; Producer: Roselle Monteverde-Teo; Screenwriter: Fairlane Raymundo; Genre: Romance-Drama; Distributor: Regal Entertainment; Location: Manila; Running Time: 110 min.;

Technical Assessment: 2.5
Moral Assessment: 2
CINEMA Rating: For viewers age 13 and below with parental guidance

Magkakabarkada mula pagkabata sina Jepoy (JC De Vera), Lane (Yasmien Kurdi), Bry (Ehra Madrigal), Tom (Polo Ravales) at Tonee (Kris Bernal). Muling titibay ang kanilang samahan nang sila ay magtrabaho sa iisang call center. Sina Jepoy at Lane ay kakatapos lamang mag-break bilang magnobyo bagama’t mahal pa rin nila ang isa’t-isa. Sa call center ay parehas silang magkakaron ng panibagong pag-ibig. May pag-asa pa kaya silang magkabalikan? Si Bry naman ay niloko ng kanyang kalive-in at ang tanging naging sandigan ay ang kanyang suking taxi driver (John Pratts) na malaki ang pagkagusto sa kanya. Si Tonee na totomboy-tomboy ay mai-inlove naman sa kasamahang si Ryan (Aljur Abrenica) na mahuhuli naman niyang may kinakasamang bading (John Lapuz). Si Tom naman ay pilit na dinadala ang relasyon kay Cyril (Jean Garcia) ang kanyang dating guro na malaki ang tanda sa kanya. Saan kaya sila dadalhin ng kani-kanilang mga problema sa puso at pagmamahal?

Walang bagong inihain ang Loving You maliban sa makabagong milieu ng call center. Ngunit ito ay nanatili lamang backdrop at hindi lubusang nagamit sa pelikula. Ang mga kuwentong pag-ibig ay pawang mga gasgas na at alam na ng mga manonood ang patutunguhan. Sa sobrang dami ng karakter ay sumasabog ang kuwento ng pelikula. Walang pinaka-sentrong karakter o kuwento na maaring sundan. Hindi gaanong dama ang mga eksena mapa drama man o komedi. Sayang at may potensiyal sanang maging maganda ang pelikula sa tradisyon ng mga pelikulang pang-kabataan tulad ng Bagets, Pare Ko, Jologs at marami pang iba. Ang manipis na kuwento ay mas pinanipis pa ng mga hilaw na pag-arte ng mga artista. Tanging ang mga beteranong sina Jean Garcia at Tonton Gutierrez ang kakikitaan ng sinseridad. Ang lahat ay pawang mga pa-cute lamang.

Maraming ipinakitang nakakabahala sa pagpapahalagang moral ng mga kabataan ang pelikula. Pangunahin na rito ay pagpapakitang katanggap-tanggap at nakakaigaya ang pakikipaglive-in at pagsasama ng labas sa sakramento ng kasal. Pawang kaswal lamang ang sex sa pelikula na maaring gawin kahit anong oras kahit saan. Maging ang pagkakaroon ng mga tomboy at baklang mga magulang ay ipinakita lamang at hindi ipinaliwanag o dumaan sa proseso upang lubusang maunawaan ng mga manonood. Mababaw ang naging pagtingin at pagtrato ng pelikula sa konsepto ng pag-ibig. Gaano man nila piliting palalimin, hindi maitatangging naging ubod ng pusyaw ng pagtalakay nito. Ang pag-ibig at pakikipagtalik ay itinuturing nilang iisa. Maging ang infatuation at crush ay pinalalabas na true love. Pawang binubuo lamang sa hangin ang pagkakagustuhan. Maghalikan lamang at maghawakan ng kamay ay sila na. Walang pagpapahalaga sa pagbuo ng pamilya, wala ring sakripisyo. Tanging mababaw na romansahan na nagkukunwaring malalim ang makikita sa pelikula. Walang anumang aral sa pag-ibig. May mangilan-ngilang kurot ukol sa pagpapatawad at pamilya ngunit hindi ito ang pangunahing pinatunguhan ng kuwento.

Star Wars- The Clone Wars

Cast: (VOICE)- Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, Dee Bradley Baker, Tom Kane, Nika Futterman, Ian Abercrombie, Corey Burton, Catherine Taber, Matthew Wood; Director: Dave Filoni; Producers: Catherine Winder, George Lucas; Screenwriters: Henry Gilroy, Steve Melching, Scott Murphy; Music: Kevin Kiner; Editor: Jason Tucker; Genre: Animated Science Fiction; Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures; Location: USA, Singapore; Running Time: 98 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: For viewers age 13 and below with parental guidance

Clone Wars takes place in between Episode 2: Attack of the Clones and Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith. The movie opens with the Republic clone troopers led by Jedi generals Anakin (Matt Lanter) and Obi-wan (James Arnold Taylor) fighting the droid army. Complicating matters is Master Yoda’s decision to assign a PADIWAN (apprentice), Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Ekstein) to serve under Anakin. They are quickly assigned to rescue Jabba’s kidnapped son so they can form an alliance with the Hutts as latter control a safe trade passage crucial for winning the galactic war. Unknown to them, the kidnap is staged by Sith Count Dooko (Christopher Lee) and his apprentice Asaji Ventress (Nika Futterman) to discredit the Jedis and win the Hutt’s support. Much of the film follows Anakin and Ahsoko’s attempt to rescue the baby Hutlet and forge a treaty with Jabba.

The movie is presented with good stylish animations and enjoyable CGI’s, although the characters feel stiff and look like the miniature dolls sold as merchandising. The sceneries are almost breathtaking and action is dynamic enough to keep the audience glued for an hour and a half. This animated version has plenty of moments with some cute and funny punch lines thrown here and there in between incredible action sequences. Unfortunately there is nothing new presented for a storyline save for more scheming of the Sith against the Republic, more explosions and special effects. While the editing is witty, engaging and thrilling and helps to keep the flow smooth and understandable even for non-Star Wars fans. However, the musical scoring falls a little short to support the sequences but since this is an animated version one can let this cheesiness pass.

What does it mean to be a good leader? The film makes several points on the teacher-student / master-apprentice relationship. First, the importance of listening which should be a two-way deal. Students need to listen to the wisdom of their teachers while teachers in turn need to be attuned to the creativity and freshness of their students’ opinion. Second, respect is earned by “walking the talk”. Anakin could have never gained Ashoko’s trust and loyalty if he had not shown courage and dedication to do what is right. Likewise, Ashoko’s perseverance and loyalty not only won Anakin’s respect but also his fondness and protection of his teenage apprentice.

The movie is safe and decent with numerous violent sequences, though non-graphic, given the premise of war and action animation. Parents are cautioned to guide their very young children when watching the film.

Big Stan- The Gigolo is Back

Cast: Rob Schneider, David Carradine, Jennifer Morrison, Scott Wilson, Henry Gibson; Director: Rob Schneider; Producers: Mark A.Z. Dippe, David Hillary, Timothy Wayne Peternel, John Schneider, Rob Schneider; Screenwriter: Josh Lieb; Music: John Hunter; Editor: Gregor Babor, Richard Halsey; Genre: Comedy; Cinematography: Victor Hammer; Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer MGM; Location: Stockton, California, USA; Running Time: 100 min;

Technical Assessment: 2.5
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: For mature viewers 18 and above

Wealthy Stan Minton (Rob Schneider), a crooked real estate agent is arrested for fraud and convicted. By some manipulation, Stan is able to get the judge to give him an allowable six months break before he begins his prison term. His greatest fear of being in prison is what the prisoners could do to him, and he knows that he would not be able to defend himself. So he scouts for someone who could train him to take care of himself in whatever situation the prisoners would put him in. Stan meets a mysterious master of Martial Arts (David Carradine) and recruits him to train him to be a tough and expert fighter, capable of taking on whoever and however many would want to do him harm. The result is a Stan who goes to prison, is one who could out-do and defeat who ever tries to put one over him. Stan not only gains the respect of all the inmates; he is also able to transform his rowdy, violent and hardened prison mates into an orderly and civil community. This unexpected change however, upsets the prison warden’s plan of having the prison complex sold for his profit. It was the warden who had Stan transferred to his jail to serve his prison term there, at the same time help the warden to plan and arrange the sale. To make the prison compound available to prospective buyers, the warden wants the prisoners incited into a melee of fighting, killing each other and totally damaging the entire place. Stan is commanded to reverse what he has done, or else…!

Rob Schneider supported by David Carradine: both come up with their part of the story with effective and natural acting. The first half of the film centers on them as one teaches the other all that are needed to become an effective martial arts expert. All the things Stan had to practice to make him a fit man, and durable, may not be true to real life like: being burned; swallowing garbage, and animal food; eating live snake and scorpions, among others being kicked and walloped. There are funny and laughable moments. Other scenes may be reminiscent of those shown in comedies which Rod Schneider had starred in.

Stan gets transformed from a guy who was worried about his own safety and well-being, into someone who learned to care about his inmates, and the whole prison community. He learned to appreciate and cared about his wife and how she felt and what she wanted. Despite these positive issues and matters are present in the movie story, it is a film that should be rated for adults only. Certain questionable subject matters are not clearly represented. For instance, the subject of prison rape is bandied around and some flashes of these are suggested visually. Nudity and some sexual situations are also presented. When Stan had convinced all his prison inmates to stop raping each other, he tells them however, that consensual homosexual relationship is alright, which is not really accepted by society.